Photography as Fiction

Photography is commonly associated with fact, yet it has been a medium for fiction from the very beginning. Following its inception in 1839, artists began exploring photography's enormous potential for storytelling and often went to great lengths to create pictures for the camera. The tradition of staging persisted as an artistic approach into the twentieth century and took on new meaning in the context of advertising, film, and television. This book's short introductory essay summarizes the history of staged photography, highlighting key debates that center on the seeming contradiction between the medium's blunt factuality and its capacity for deception.

The J. Paul Getty Trust, the world's largest cultural and philanthropic organization dedicated to the visual arts, is committed to critical thinking in the presentation, conservation, and interpretation of the world's artistic legacy.